From the filings
Software purchasing at Steak Escape is controlled by a small leadership team based in Ohio, led by Director and Chairman Kennard Miller Smith and President Mark George Turner. The most recent FDD does not disclose any mandated technology systems, leaving the tech stack open to vendor influence. With 40 total units—28 franchised and 3 company-owned—the addressable market is compact but concentrated, ideal for vendors targeting multi-unit operators in the quick-service restaurant segment.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
6.5%of gross sales
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
20 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 3 explicit no's; 11 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
All of your books and records shall be based upon the bookkeeping format and forms which we shall furnish to you or which shall otherwise be approved in writing by us.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
There are no contractual limits on Escape’s rights to access your information via this equipment and software and you agree Escape shall have independent access to your information through your POS system.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
You agree to submit monthly profit and loss statements for your Restaurant to us.
How the franchisor buys
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesFranchise agreement
You shall become a member of any franchisee association that we have formed to consider, discuss, and make recommendations on common issues about the operation of our System and the restaurants in our System.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 11
Escape may require you to update or change your POS system equipment and any related software during your operation of the restaurant, such cost to be at your expense.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
However, some suppliers provide additional assistance in the form of payments to us based on sales made or direct contributions.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
Escape will approve or disapprove a proposed supplier within 60 days of receipt of the prototype and all requested information.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 9
Inspections and audits Sections 7.P and V Items 6 and 11
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 12
You must operate only from your approved location and must receive Escape’s permission before relocating.
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesFranchise agreement
You agree to spend an amount at least equal to the Pre-Opening Advertising Amount for your own local and regional advertising and promotion, as approved by us as set forth in this Agreement, prior to the opening of your Restaurant.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
Specifically, you must spend at least two percent of your Gross Sales on local and regional advertising, on a monthly basis.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesFranchise agreement
At our request, you agree to join and participate with us or other franchisees in local, regional, or national advertising cooperatives and to execute any documentation necessary to the establishment and operation of these cooperatives.
Operations
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
All food and beverage ingredients, products, equipment, software, computer and POS systems, marketing and advertising materials and all paper and other goods bearing the STEAK ESCAPE SANDWICH GRILL or other proprietary designation purchased for the restaurant must conform to Escape’s specifications and must be…
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
You are required to maintain an automatic withdrawal mechanism to allow us to draw amounts owed to us directly from your bank accounts.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesFranchise agreement
You are required to employ at each Restaurant, at all times, at least two persons who have completed the Director Certification Program to our satisfaction (“Directors”).
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
You shall cause all of your employees, while working in the Restaurant, to wear uniforms specified by us
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must purchase and may use only our specified model of POS system in your restaurant.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
There are no contractual limits on Escape’s rights to access your information via this equipment and software and you agree Escape shall have independent access to your information through your POS system.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
Escape may require additional training at any time during your operation of the restaurant for which a fee may be charged2.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
You agree to use your best efforts to attend annually one meeting called by us at our home office in Columbus, Ohio, or at any other location that we may reasonably designate to discuss any problems or issues.
Who buys here
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close, derived from our data by segment and unit count, not a guess.
The franchisor's owner/CEO decides; an ops or franchise-development lead may evaluate.
Steak Escape operates 40 quick-service restaurants, with 28 franchised and 3 company-owned locations. The brand’s unit count declined by 9.677% year-over-year, signaling a period of contraction that may heighten the need for operational efficiency tools. For software vendors, the addressable market is small but potentially receptive: a lean HQ team manages a franchise network with no disclosed technology mandates, meaning the right solution could gain traction quickly if it addresses pain points in operations, training, or financial management.
Average unit volume (AUV) is not disclosed in the most recent FDD, and the royalty rate stands at 6.0%. The initial franchise term is 10 years. These economics suggest franchisees are cost-conscious, making ROI-focused software pitches essential.
Steak Escape’s leadership is concentrated in a few individuals. Kennard Miller Smith serves as Director, Chairman, and Treasurer of the Manager, while Mark George Turner is Director, President, and Secretary. John Edmond Atala holds the Controller role, and Michael Contes is Director of Operations. Dirk Ahlgrim oversees training as Director of Training. In a system this size, software purchasing decisions likely flow through Smith and Turner at the strategic level, with Contes and Ahlgrim influencing operational and training-related tools. Vendors should target this group with clear, outcome-oriented value propositions.
No parent company is on file; Steak Escape appears independently owned. This simplifies the sales process—there is no larger corporate entity to navigate for approval.
The most recent FDD does not capture any mandated or recommended technology systems. This absence is notable: many franchise systems specify POS, inventory, or scheduling platforms, but Steak Escape leaves these choices unstated. For vendors, this means the existing tech stack is likely fragmented or franchisee-driven. A solution that integrates POS, labor scheduling, and reporting could fill a clear gap, especially if it reduces the training burden highlighted in Item 17 renewal requirements.
Item 8 procurement signals are absent from the FDD, so the procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is unknown. This lack of clarity means vendors should approach franchisees directly or build relationships with HQ to understand purchasing pathways.
Renewal terms offer a potential entry point. Franchisees in good standing can renew for additional 10-year periods, but must pay a renewal fee, sign a release of claims, refurbish or remodel the restaurant (at a cost ranging from $10,000 to $100,000), and complete refresher training. These renewal events, which involve significant operational disruption and investment, are natural moments for franchisees to reevaluate their software stack. Vendors who can demonstrate labor savings or training efficiencies during a remodel or retraining window may find receptive buyers.
The Steak Escape Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below for full review. Key sections for software vendors include Item 1 (executive team), Item 11 (franchisor assistance and any technology obligations), Item 8 (procurement restrictions), and Item 17 (renewal and transfer conditions). Because the FDD year is not specified, treat all data as the most recent available filing. Use this document to verify decision-maker names, contractual triggers, and any updates to mandated systems before engaging the brand.
For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize the right opportunities.
Questions vendors ask
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment Steak Escape files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
1 operators run 1 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| WI | 1 |
|---|
Ownership
unknown of escape enterprises.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.